Railroad-tie.



PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906. P. SEYHERS. RAILROAD TIE.

APPLICATION FILED OOTA. 1905.

Inventor Fri: (fey/zen; by I At torn eys UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK SEYHERS, OF LEAD, SOUTH DAKOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO JOHN LAPP, OF ROOHFORD, SOUTH DAKOTA, AND ONE-FOURTH TO ROBERT H. DRISGOLL, OF LEAD, SOUTH DAKOTA.

. RAILROAD-TIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 9, 1906.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK SEYHERs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lead city, in the county of Lawrence and State of South Dakota, have invented a new and useful Railroad-Tie, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to that class of railroad-ties which are composed of plastic material, such as cement or concrete, molded upon a frame or skeleton,jwhich is usually constructed of metal, such as steel or iron and among the objects of the invention are to improve and, simplify the construction of this class of devices and to present an article which shall possess superior advantages in point of simplicity, strength, durability, and general efficiency.

With these and other ends in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations, and modifications within the scope of the invention may be made when desired.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a preferred form of the frame or skeleton of the improved tie. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional viewillustrating a slightly-modified method of wiring the frame I and also showing the frame provided with apertures for lightening the weight thereof without materially impairing its strength. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 3 3 in Fig, 2. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the complete tie, taken on the plane indicated by the line 4 4 in Fig. 2, said figure showing also the cement body, which has been indicated only in outline and in broken lines in Figs. 2 and 3. Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views illustrating rail-fastening plates used in connection with the invention. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the skeleton or framework, illustrating a modification whereby a doubletrack tie may be provided. Fig. 8 is a sectional detail view illustrating a slightlymodified construction of the means for securing the rail-fastening plates upon the ties.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout by similar characters of reference.

The frame or skeleton of the improved tie has a body 1, preferably constructed of castiron and including a base 2, concaved upon its under side, as shown at 3, and provided on its upper side, near the ends thereof, with lugs 4 4, supporting the head plates 5 5, which constitute the rail-supports. The upper corners of the headplates have been shown as provided with recesses 6 6, which are partly for the purpose of reducing the weight and also to provide seats for the plastic material which is to be subsequently molded upon the frame and which when such seats are provided will bind more securely and form a structure of greater strength and integrity than where such seats or recesses are omitted. The head-plates are provided with apertures, as 7, for the passage of bolts 8, which are inserted from the under sides of the head-plates, which may be provided with recesses, as 9, for the accommodation of the bolt-heads 10, said recesses and bolt-heads being referably non-circular in order that the b0 ts may be positively prevented from turning. These bolts, which are secured in position by the plastic material 11, which is molded upon or around the frame or skeleton constitute permanent parts of the tie.

The base-plate of the frame is provided upon its upper side with a centrally-disposed enlargement 12, which serves to reinforce the structure against the breaking strain which may be caused by the passage of heavy loads over the road-bed in the construction of which the improved ties are employed.

At the ends of the base are mounted metallic end plates 13, having slots 14 and outturned flanges 15 for engagement with the plastic material constituting the body of the tie. These end plates have been shown as connected by wires 16 and their ends looped together in any suitable manner, as illus. trated at 17 in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. These two figures illustrate two simple ways of wiring the frame or skeleton; but the wiring may be done in any suitable and convenient manner which will serve to connect the end plates 13, thus greatly increasing the strength of the complete structure.

The base 2 has been shown in Figs. 2 and 3 as provided with a plurality of openings 18, whereby the weight of the casting is greatly reduced without reducing the strength of the complete structure.

Fig. 4 illustrates the complete tie, which is formed by molding upon the frame or skeleton plastic material of any suitable composition possessing the requisite strength and other needful qualities. The plastic mass may be molded upon the frame or skeleton in any well-known manner now in vogue, it being understood that the upper faces of the head-plate 5 and the projecting threaded ends of the bolts 8 will be left exposed.

In connection with the improved tie herein described rail-fastening plates (illustrated in detail in Figs. 5 and 6) are preferably employed, said plates being provided with slots to engage the bolts, so that they may be pushed or forced into intimate contact with the rail-flanges prior to being secured by means of nuts engaging the bolts, said nuts not being shown. These fastening-plates, which are designated, respectively, 19 and 20, are designed to engage, respectively, the inner and the outer sides of the rail, the outer plate 20 being provided with a lug 21, adapted to engage the web directly beneath the head of the rail.

The modification illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings represents the frame or ske1eton of a tie of sufficient length to enable it to support a double track consisting of two pairs of rails. This frame or skeleton presents the appearance of two single ties placed with their ends abutting upon each other, the end plates 18 being used at the outer extremities only and suitably connected by brace-wires. Centrally of its length the said skeleton or frame is provided with an integral upward projection or reinforcement 30, similar to the reinforcements 12 of the single ties for the purpose of resisting breaking strains. Instead of embedding the bolts 8 in the ties, as hereinbefore described, and connecting the rail-fastening plates by means of nuts with said bolts stud-bolts, as 81, may be used, as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings, said stud-bolts engaging threaded recesses (here designated 7 in the head-plates 5.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the operation and advantages of this invention will be readily understood. It is simple and inexpensive, and ties constructed in accordance with this invention are practically indestructible.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A metallic tie-frame including a base provided near the ends thereof with lugs, and head-plates supported thereby.

2. A metallic tie-frame including a base provided near its ends with head-plate-supporting lugs and having an intermediate upward reinforcement.

3. A metallic tie-frame including a base concaved in its under side and provided on its upper side with head-plate-carrying lugs, and an intermediate reinforcement.

4. A metallic tie-frame including a base provided on its upper side with head-plate-carrying lugs and an intermediate reinforcement, said base being provided with a plurality of apertures.

5. A base having lugs and head-plates supported by said lugs, said head-plates having recessed upper corners.

6. A base-plate having lugs, head-plates supported by said lugs, and bolts extending upwardly through the head-plates.

7. A base-plate having lugs, head-plates supported upon said lugs, and bolts extending upwardly through the head-plates and having non-circular heads seated in recesses in the head plates.

8. A base-plate having lugs, head-plates supported by the lugs, bolts extending upwardly through the head-plates, and a plastic body molded upon the base-lugs and headplates.

9. A metallic tie-frame including a base having head plate supporting lugs, end plates abutting upon the base, and wires connecting said end plates.

10. A metallic tie-frame including a base having head-plate supporting lugs, end plates abutting upon the base and having slots and outturned flanges, and wires connecting the end plates.

11. A metallic tie-frame including a baseplate having head plate supporting lugs, end plates abutting upon the base, wires connecting the end plates, and cross-wires connecting the end-plate-connecting wires.

12. A metallic tie-frame including a base having head plate supporting lugs, end plates abutting upon the base, end-plate-connecting wires, and cross-wires connecting the latter, in combination with a plastic body molded upon the frame.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afhxed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK SEYHERS.

Witnesses:

JOHN GrLRoY, H. H. HANSTEIN. 

